One of the biggest criticisms that Hulk Hogan has faced to this day is he couldn’t wrestle, but that cannot be further from the truth. The Hulkster had a tremendous wrestling IQ. It’s just that he never needed to pull off 10 to 20 different moves in a match to get the crowd behind him. His charisma alone was enough.
There’s no denying that Hulk Hogan was a part of some of the most iconic matches in both WWE and WCW history. The latter saw him produce compelling excitement, drama and action against established stars. Hogan could be the best and the worst worker of the night, depending on the crowd’s reaction.
With that being said, let’s take a look at five of Hulk Hogan’s best matches in WCW.
Hulk Hogan vs. Vader (SuperBrawl V 1995)
It’s safe to say that WCW did a solid job booking Vader as a legitimate monster. The big man ran roughshod over the likes of Sting and Mick Foley during the ’90s. He had an all-time classic against Ric Flair at Starrcade 1993.
Vader would focus his attention on Hulk Hogan not soon after the latter made his WCW debut. The duo battled over the WCW World Heavyweight Championship multiple times, but it was their clash at SuperBrawl 1995 that overshadowed their prior meetings.
Hogan entered the match as the mega babyface, while Vader stood on the other side of the ring as the unstoppable monster he was. It was truly a clash of the titans and would’ve been much better, had WCW not booked it to end in a DQ.
nWo vs. Team WCW (Fall Brawl ’96: War Games)
The summer of 1996 saw the birth of the nWo. The iconic stable would soon establish itself as the biggest threat to the WCW locker room. nWo’s antics led them to war with WCW diehards at Fall Brawl ’96 in a WarGames match.
This match was the first of many coherent attempts from both sides to take each other out in a sanctioned match. It also foreshadowed the arrival of Crow Sting as much of the storyline had revolved around him trying to get along with his WCW comrades.
The Icon was instrumental in turning the tides in Team WCW’s (Lex Luger, Ric Flair, and Arn Anderson) favor when he arrived as the last entrant. The Stinger, however, walked out on his team in the closing moments of the match – allowing Hollywood Hogan, Scott Hall, Kevin Nash, and nWo Sting to pick up the win.
Hulk Hogan vs. Lex Luger (WCW Nitro – August 4, 1997)
Lex Luger had been at the forefront of WCW’s crusade against nWo between 1996 and 97. His efforts finally got him a world title shot against Hulk Hogan on the August 4, 1997, episode of Monday Night Nitro.
While the match didn’t feature high-risk moves or stiff action, it had enough charisma and entertainment to get the crowd on their feet. In the end, Luger applied the Torture Rack on the nWo leader to beat him for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship.
Hulk Hogan, Scott Hall & Kevin Nash vs. Lex Luger, Randy Savage & Sting (Bash at the Beach 1996)
The birth of the nWo is considered one of the most iconic events in pro wrestling history. It pretty much changed the ratings trajectory for WCW against Vince McMahon’s WWE. The original nWo was formed at Bash at the Beach in 1996.
The main event saw The Outsiders (Hall and Nash) take on the trio of Lex Luger, Randy Savage, and Sting. The pair had promised the arrival of a mystery third man. The person turned out to be none other than Hulk Hogan.
The Hulkster arrived toward the closing moments, seemingly trying to help the babyfaces. A huge legdrop on his former rival Savage, however, confirmed his allegiance to Hall and Nash – creating nWo in the process.
Hulk Hogan vs. Goldberg (WCW Nitro – July 6, 1998)
Goldberg established himself as an unstoppable monster by 1998. The Man entered the main event of WCW Nitro on July 6, 1998 against Hollywood Hogan for his world title. Over 40,000 fans jampacked the Georgia Dome in Atlanta to watch the two megastars take on each other.
It was a colossal main event that saw Hogan use his veteran instincts to carry the rookie through the match. Goldberg managed to overcome the odds of the nWo with a little help from Diamond Dallas Page and Karl Malone. He pinned Hollywood Hogan following a vicious spear and a jackhammer to capture his first world title.
Also read: Report: WWE Higher-Up Says Hulk Hogan‘s Claim About Nick Hogan Wrestling At WrestleMania Is Untrue
